Well latest rumours suggest Sauber are looking at a switch to Merc engines for 2013, that'd free up Ferrari engines for Force India and mean Bianchi more likely IMO. Merc are only supplying two customer teams for 2013 and we know McLaren are one.

Could be BS though, just like Force India's promises about announcements in recent months.

Well latest rumours suggest Sauber are looking at a switch to Merc engines for 2013, that'd free up Ferrari engines for Force India and mean Bianchi more likely IMO. Merc are only supplying two customer teams for 2013 and we know McLaren are one.

Could be BS though, just like Force India's promises about announcements in recent months.

2014 surely? Where are the 2013 rumours from?Force India are known to be looking at Ferrari for then anyway, hence the Bianchi rumours.

There's no point linking anyone to them since it's just sources in twitter, I just thought it worth mentioning anyway. It makes sense but I agree it seems a bit too late for 2013 engine switches now. One can only presume if it does happen it's been a well kept secret for a long time.

Maybe all small teams should just change to Merc engines in January, do a bodge job and win the WCC...

They were lucky they could get the chassis to fit though. If Sauber do make the move it's a smart one IMO. It gets them from under Ferrari's orders and it gets them access to the best engine, whether that's still the case next year remains to be seen.

As for Force India I think they need the Ferrari engines, perhaps because they are cheaper, I'd imagine Bianchi would be part if a deal.

Maybe all small teams should just change to Merc engines in January, do a bodge job and win the WCC...

They were lucky they could get the chassis to fit though. If Sauber do make the move it's a smart one IMO. It gets them from under Ferrari's orders and it gets them access to the best engine, whether that's still the case next year remains to be seen.

As for Force India I think they need the Ferrari engines, perhaps because they are cheaper, I'd imagine Bianchi would be part if a deal.

To be honest, I don't think Sauber are exactly suffering for being part of the Ferrari deal. It's been in place for long enough that the two teams have an understanding and switching engines at this late stage, after what is presumably months of development on the 2013 chassis, would be suicide.

2014? Maybe. But a switch for 2013 makes no sense for anybody. Force India have money, whatever the rumours may say, they're happy with the working relationship they have with Mercedes and I can't see any reason for either team to want to upset the balance, particularly at this late stage.

Gutierrez is in a rival car and he is dire, as for not sorting his quali out what if he gets a drive next year and is better at quali because pirrelli have changed the tires to expand the window is he still a dire qualifier or has circumstances changed allowing him to show what he can do. Remember he out qualified and raced a few few of this grid in his rookie gp2 season and others trying to get seats too. People forget it was Maldonado and grosjean were two example of current drivers he beat so in the same machinery he can match them for speed its all about conditions. Last year unfortunately didn't suit him. Next year might far too many people take so much stock in just the past season and forget all else, i wouldn't like sutil if because of anything else i don't think you want someone with such a violent incident around, you just cant go and glass someone its not a great image for the sport or FI. Other than that i don't mind who they appoint but would favour someone with at least a season in f1 too many rookies next year could mean a lot of incidents.

Still no darn news about the lineup. It's under a month before their car is launched & the testing begins.

what's the rush?

Cars get designed with the drivers in mind. Don't know how much it affects the car's performance overall, but it is important

just because we don't know what is going on doesn't mean that they are just sitting back folding their arms.....how much input/influence can the driver possibly have on the car in this times especially before testing,i'll start worrying if testing starts and they haven't signed a driver.

Although likely nothing is confirmed until the driver is in the car for the first race really. Look at what happened to Trulli last year, he even started pre season testing before Caterham replaced him.

Gutierrez is in a rival car and he is dire, as for not sorting his quali out what if he gets a drive next year and is better at quali because pirrelli have changed the tires to expand the window is he still a dire qualifier or has circumstances changed allowing him to show what he can do. Remember he out qualified and raced a few few of this grid in his rookie gp2 season and others trying to get seats too. People forget it was Maldonado and grosjean were two example of current drivers he beat so in the same machinery he can match them for speed its all about conditions. Last year unfortunately didn't suit him. Next year might far too many people take so much stock in just the past season and forget all else, i wouldn't like sutil if because of anything else i don't think you want someone with such a violent incident around, you just cant go and glass someone its not a great image for the sport or FI. Other than that i don't mind who they appoint but would favour someone with at least a season in f1 too many rookies next year could mean a lot of incidents.

Still no darn news about the lineup. It's under a month before their car is launched & the testing begins.

what's the rush?

Cars get designed with the drivers in mind. Don't know how much it affects the car's performance overall, but it is important

just because we don't know what is going on doesn't mean that they are just sitting back folding their arms.....how much input/influence can the driver possibly have on the car in this times especially before testing,i'll start worrying if testing starts and they haven't signed a driver.

I didn't say that they are sitting with their arms folded Nike. And yes, driver has a lot of input in the car design. Some drivers like cars to oversteer, etc. They obviously have some drivers in mind, who knows what the delay is

Maybe it is financial because senna was interviewed at massas karting event and said he is still in talks with Caterham and force India, force India however apparently told anyone who they weren't considering eg buemi, so does this mean they are hoping for a Ferrari deal for 2014 which rumor has it has a drive for Bianchi included with immediate effect, which seems likely as sauber have signed a merc deal for 2014 according to numerous journalists, however if this doesn't come to fruition have sennas financial backing instead??? The reason i don't think sutil is because it would be done and dusted by now even his visa issues are sorted in a few days a trip to the embassy and an interview process before an answer is given it doesn't take weeks/months.

I read this news. Sauber have firstly denied about swapping engines with Mercedes, which may imply that Force India won't swap to Ferrari. So what advantage may Force India gain if Bianchi is chosen now?

I read this news. Sauber have firstly denied about swapping engines with Mercedes, which may imply that Force India won't swap to Ferrari. So what advantage may Force India gain if Bianchi is chosen now?

Teams deny many things until the opposite actually happens. But to be honest I have no idea what's going on, the longer it goes on the more I hope for a Kobayashi/Alguersuari partnership just for the fun of it.

_________________"You are the universe expressing itself as a Human for a little while..."

Another annoying false rumor? Possibile, but BS said on sunday (during the kart event in Brasil) that he would have been busy during this week, talking to both Force India and Caterham, raising the budget offer and hoping for a happy ending. (his words).

Another annoying false rumor? Possibile, but BS said on sunday (during the kart event in Brasil) that he would have been busy during this week, talking to both Force India and Caterham, raising the budget offer and hoping for a happy ending. (his words).

although he was never ruled out i just don't buy it, its hard to see past Bianchi due to his Ferrari links and i think they will go with Bruno if not

Others twittered that Bruno was in Silverstone yesterday. Could be for the FI thing.

as he is sending photos of nestle lollo which is only available in brazil in a vending machine i would say its probably not true him being in silverstone unless he flew straight back which seems unlikely as you would assume he would stay in Europe once there to finish sorting out for next year with hos management.

Others twittered that Bruno was in Silverstone yesterday. Could be for the FI thing.

as he is sending photos of nestle lollo which is only available in brazil in a vending machine i would say its probably not true him being in silverstone unless he flew straight back which seems unlikely as you would assume he would stay in Europe once there to finish sorting out for next year with hos management.

According to rumours FI are in severe financial problems and their future in F1 is at stake. According to the source Bernie has a plan to save the team which potentially involves having Briatore as team manager.

According to rumours FI are in severe financial problems and their future in F1 is at stake. According to the source Bernie has a plan to save the team which potentially involves having Briatore as team manager.

Hard to imagine that. Sure VJM's Kingfisher airlines is in trouble, but looking at the teams finances, its hard to imagine how they can be in enough trouble to show up this year. I mean HRT ran entire team with shoestring budget, FI received healthy prize money on top of 2 new cash investments. Its either some other team that scrabsF1 is talking about or investor has pulled out which would have made big headline already. So lets see. But I dont think FI should be in that much trouble.

Hard to imagine that. Sure VJM's Kingfisher airlines is in trouble, but looking at the teams finances, its hard to imagine how they can be in enough trouble to show up this year. I mean HRT ran entire team with shoestring budget, FI received healthy prize money on top of 2 new cash investments. Its either some other team that scrabsF1 is talking about or investor has pulled out which would have made big headline already. So lets see. But I dont think FI should be in that much trouble.

No, Scarbs is talking about Force India. And it is indeed serious problem.

The only team it makes sense to be is Force India. Di Resta could find himself in big trouble yet, Senna has loads of money and we could even see someone like Narain slip in by the back door with his cash yet.